For more than 10 years, Cornerstone Youth Center has been hosting Bring the Holidays Home, a shopping event to benefit the center. This year, the organization decided to expand its focus. "We wanted to add our community, our neighborhood on South Wilson Avenue, into what we're doing," explained Laurie Shepler, executive director. "We wanted to build this into a bigger event."
The Trees on South Wilson, named for Cornerstone's location at 95 S. Wilson Ave., Elizabethtown, will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3, and from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4. The event will feature 30 themed trees decorated by local individuals, businesses and organizations.
"We'll be judging the trees and awarding prizes for Best of Show, Most Traditional, Most Unique and so on," Shepler said.
Shopping on three levels throughout the youth center will also be highlighted, with more than 20 vendors. "The vendors have been the lifeblood of this event for all these years," Shepler noted. Participants will include representatives of Avon, Discovery Toys, Mary Kay, Bellflower Design Co. and Spence Candies. Sarah Lynn's Confections will sell cakes, cupcakes, cake pops and hot chocolate bombs, and Cookies for a Cure will offer treats to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
"We'll also have coffee, hot apple cider and cookies for our guests to enjoy as they walk through the building and meet our vendors," Shepler stated. Live music will be featured next door at Moo-Duck Brewery as well as on stage in the youth center and across the street at the Elizabethtown Amtrak station, where some of the trees will be displayed. Rogue Chef's food truck will offer sandwiches and desserts, and J&J Famous Eats' food truck will feature a Latino menu. Esbenshade's Garden Center poinsettias will be available for purchase throughout the youth center, and each evening one guest will have the opportunity to win a 10-inch pot, five-plant poinsettia.
Money raised by tree sponsorships and a portion of vendor proceeds will be used to help Cornerstone provide a safe and caring environment for area youths, Shepler remarked. The organization's biggest fundraiser is its annual banquet, scheduled for Friday, March 18, 2022. It will feature guest speaker David Nassar.
Shepler said events like The Trees on South Wilson offer a way for Cornerstone to connect with its community while helping to support its mission of service to youths. "This is a fun, free event for the community to come out, enjoy the decorated trees, enjoy the music and holiday treats and do some shopping to benefit our youth center," she commented. "It's a great family event."
For more information on the event, visit https://cornerstoneetown.org.
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